Belize City Children Get to Know Their Country

Chester Williams

A second cohort of children from the south side of Belize City is today starting a week-long summer camp hosted by the Community Policing Unit of Eastern Division South. The program captures at-risk youths who are vulnerable and are being recruited by gang elements across the city.  Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams spoke of the activities the minors will be engaged in.

ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South

“We have high expectations in terms of what will be the outcome o the young people who are part of the program. And like I said during my presentation, that parents out there are supportive of this program so much so that we are still getting calls. We have reached the maximum limit that we can take, but we are still getting calls and we are finding a way how we can accommodate everyone; we do not want to turn away any kid. It should be fifty, but we are currently at fifty-five and we are still getting calls. But we will not turn back anyone. What we want the children to take away from this program is that you know Belize is such a beautiful country. And as you may heard them say after I prompted them that they love Belize. But how can you love something that you don’t know? So we want them to get to know Belize and that they will learn to love and appreciate Belize as a country even more. Then secondly, we also want them to be able to understand the cycle that persons who are involved in gangs or criminal activities go through – the lifestyle in the gang ridden areas, the police station, the cellblock, the hospital, the courthouse, the cemetery and the prison – so that they understand the cycle and hopefully, having understand the cycle, that they will be able to learn to resist gang life even more. So this program is more as a form of diversion or deterrence for these young people to prevent them from getting caught up or involved in gang activities.”